We Never Said Forever
by pokeitlikejello
Summary: Huddy. Oneshot. House is leaving, but not before giving Cuddy a goodbye. Takes place five years after season four's finale.


**Chapter:** Oneshot.**  
Disclaimer:** I don't own House M.D., nor the characters. I don't own the song "Believe in Me" by Todd Rundgren either. I make no money from this.**  
Author's Note:** I wanted to write something other than my WIPs, and since songs are always inspiring (and this one was particularly Huddy), this fic came about. Enjoy.

* * *

_Please don't look at me that way. I can hardly say what I have to say.  
There is nothing that I haven't told to you that I didn't believe you knew._

"Hey," House greeted when she opened the door.

"Hi," Cuddy replied and gave a glance into her home before looking back at House. "Um, here."

Cuddy stepped outside, forcing House to take a step back. She left the front door slightly open behind her. Cuddy eyed House carefully.

"I didn't think you'd come," Cuddy said. "Given the circumstances."

"Asia's pretty far." House shrugged. "Calls would be expensive."

Cuddy shook her head. "I wouldn't expect you to call either."

"I'm not," House told her.

Cuddy paused, biting her bottom lip. She drew in a breath. "House..."

She couldn't go on. House raised his eyebrows to her.

"Cuddy."

"You were out of line." Cuddy wanted to kill her guilt. "You understand it was this or-"

"I know," House cut her off simply.

"When you get back, you're welcome to stop by my office," Cuddy offered. "We can talk about a position, if things are different."

"I won't be back." House gave a slight shake of his head. "I don't have my apartment anymore."

"Oh." Cuddy nodded. "Right. I forgot you were... I'm sorry how things happened. But, you knew you could only get away with your antics for so long. I had to draw the line somewhere. And I warned you that-"

"I know, Cuddy," House cut her off for a second time.

"Well..." She gave him a smile. "I wish you luck, Greg."

House directed his eyes to the ground for a moment. He then brought them back up to her. "Lise..."

"Don't." Cuddy had to look away from the pain in his eyes. "We're okay."

_I am thinking of another time. I could feel you thinking that you were mine.  
Now I hold out my hands 'til my arms get tired and you wait on the other side._

House let out a sigh. "When did things get this complicated?"

"I don't know." Cuddy shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We were always complicated."

An apology sat on House's tongue, but he couldn't get the words out. He felt the twitch of his arm, his hand wanting to go to her shoulder, but he refused to let it.

"Mommy?"

The front door opened wider. Cuddy turned and smiled down at the boy with the brown hair that held a slight curl to it. The boy directed his blue eyes to House.

"Hi, Doctor House," he said, almost shyly.

House gave the boy a tight smile. "Hey, kid."

"You gonna play, too?" The boy's eyes widened. "I set the game up."

"No, Doctor House is leaving," Cuddy told her son.

"Why?" he immediately asked in response.

"He has a plane to catch," Cuddy answered.

The boy looked to House. "Where you going?"

"Asia," House said.

A puzzled expression crossed over the boy's face. Cuddy reached down and gave a light stroke to his cheek.

"I'll be right in, Aaron," Cuddy assured him. "Go find Samson and give him a treat."

The boy's face lit up. "'Kay!"

He turned from the two on the doorstep and ran back into the house, calling out for the dog. Cuddy brought her eyes back at House, her smile fading. House gave a nod forward.

"I can bring you one of those back from Asia, if you want another one," he told her.

Cuddy cocked an eyebrow. "You're not coming back, remember?"

"That's right." House's smirk disappeared. "I'm not."

_You and me, we're both the same. Don't let me take all the blame.  
I promise that I will do all it takes to make up for my mistakes._

"So..." Cuddy drew in a breath. "I guess this is it."

"Seems like it," House replied and then a seriousness crossed over his face. "I know I-"

He stopped himself, unable to voice his thoughts.

"What?" Cuddy prompted gently.

House looked away for a moment before bringing his eyes back to her. "Take care of your son, Cuddy. And take care of yourself, okay?"

Cuddy locked eyes with him. "Take care of _yourself_, Greg." Her eyes traveled downward. "And that leg of yours."

"Practically useless now." House gave a pat to his right thigh. "Just hurts."

Cuddy directed her eyes back to his face. "Amputation is still a nice opt-"

"I'd die first," House cut her short.

Cuddy fell silent. House took a glance around, wondering if he ever would see this place again. He looked back at Cuddy when she began to speak again.

"I... didn't think this would be so hard."

House frowned. "What?"

"Saying goodbye," Cuddy answered.

House rolled his eyes. "Give me a break, Cuddy."

Cuddy gave a mild shrug. "It's just strange to know I won't be dealing with the stress of you anymore."

"It'll probably give you an extra ten years on your life," House attempted a joke.

Cuddy smiled slightly. "Probably will."

_So, I'm trying hard to be the man and it's not a hard thing to understand.  
For I think that my being would cease to be if you didn't believe in me._

"It's going to be nice without me around," House went on with it. "Hell of a lot easier. Like a permanent vacation."

"You're welcome to visit," Cuddy offered, cutting his attempt at lightening the situation short.

"Why would I want to come back to Jersey, Cuddy?" House asked her. "Really."

"I just want you to know that if you chose to come back, you're welcome to stop by," Cuddy told him.

"Yeah, thanks," House replied sarcastically. He checked his watch. "Well, my flight'll be boarding soon."

Cuddy gave a short nod. "Right."

"Mommy!" Aaron's voice sounded from inside the house.

House looked toward the open doorway. "And you've got a kid." He directed his gaze back to Cuddy. "So... bye, Cuddy."

Cuddy held her eyes with his a moment. "Bye, House."

House turned and began down her steps, his leg stiffer today than it usually was. Cuddy watched him, her eyebrows drawing together.

"Wait."

Cuddy hurried down the steps as House turned back to her. Cuddy threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. House kept one hand on his cane while his other wrapped around her backside.

"Please, be careful," she said. "I don't want to see any news stories about a doc who got himself killed for being insane, all right?"

Cuddy pulled back and locked eyes with House. He gave her a nod in return.

"All right."

She smiled in an attempt to mask the tears she was trying to blink away.

"You're going to be great over there," Cuddy continued on. "Doing what you've always loved doing. Solving problems."

House felt a lump forming in his throat, so he swallowed hard and took Cuddy's hand within his own, both their hands remaining at her side. He gave a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Cuddy."

He released her hand and began to limp away. Cuddy watched him and swiped at her teary eyes. House drew in a breath and refused to look back, his only hope being that Cuddy understood just how much she meant to him through everything. How much she meant to him, just as she was.


End file.
